Jobsite Packages

Temporary Bracing Documents

Question: 

Is it common practice for the supplier/distributor of a truss to provide a publication regarding temporary bracing with the delivery of the material?

T-bracing

Question: 

The truss industry maintains that the design of truss roof and floor system permanent bracing is the responsibility of the building designer. System permanent bracing covers the entire structure and all bracing element interactions.

Sealed Placement Plans

Question: 

Is it the responsibility of the truss manufacturer to provide a sealed layout drawing for roof trusses?

Responsibilities With Lumberyards

Question: 

When you’re selling trusses through a lumberyard and the contractor calls to say that the “trusses don't fit correctly,” who has the ultimate responsibility for the trusses? I argue that the lumberyard is responsible since we have provided them with all the information on how the job was designed, even though they may or may not have passed this information on to the contractor.

Design Responsibilities

Question: 

My company supplied roof trusses for a hotel project. The building inspector shut the project down because the trusses were not designed to account for additional snowdrift loading. The construction plans did not contain any snowdrift loading information. The architect is claiming it is our responsibility to determine drift loading, therefore we must fix the problem. Do you have any documentation to help us dispute the architect’s claim?

Strongback Bracing

Question: 

I am looking for strongback bracing requirements for a 12 in. deep residential floor system with trusses in lengths up to 19 ft. Can the strongback bracing end at a truss without tying into an end wall? For instance, can three trusses of a type be tied together by strongbacks, then the next series of different trusses be tied together without having to be tied back to the previous type of trusses?

Valley Sets

Question: 

What are the requirements for installing valley sets over roof trusses? I am interested in nailing and support conditions. Some engineers ask for the bottom chord of the valley truss to be ripped to match the roof pitch of the underlying trusses. Is this necessary? How can I calculate values for uplift resistance for the building inspector?

Installation Guidelines

Question: 

Are there any associations that have recommendations for the installation of wood trusses?

Steel Vs Wood Truss Bracing

Question: 

As a forensic engineer who has investigated numerous collapses of wood truss systems, I find your web site an excellent resource on the proper erection of wood trusses. What are your opinions on steel trusses, particularly with regards to installation and bracing? Do you feel that the installation and bracing techniques utilized for wood trusses are applicable to steel trusses? Do you know if that is the general industry standard or are there specific requirements and guidelines for steel trusses? Is there a particular guideline/commentary available for metal trusses?

Gable End Bracing

Question: 

Manufactured gable ends are actually frames even though they are often referred to as trusses. The webs are “studs” oriented vertically and usually spaced at 12, 16 or 24 in. O.C. The gable end frame is designed to transfer vertical loads from the roof to the continuous bearing wall below. Another way gable end frames are different from trusses placed in the interior of the structure is that frames experience perpendicular wind loads. The sheathed frame transfers the wind loads to the roof and ceiling diaphragms and vice versa.